September 8, 2020

Top stories ■ Boston TV reporter stabbed while working Labor Day weekend (Boston Magazine) ■ Indian television journalist dies at 30 of COVID (New York Times) / Husband mourns writer/photographer wife who died of COVID-19 after giving birth to son (News4Jax) / Affected by virus, visual artists take refuge in their work (Washington Post) ■ ‘My job is to ensure that our business grows and thrives’: New New York Times CEO takes over (Marc Tracy) ■ At The Salt Lake Tribune, an editor resigns, and Huntsman family ownership faces fresh challenges (Poynter) ■ Publisher locks Capital Gazette staff out of their building in Annapolis (Washington Post) ■ Trump says he will reverse Pentagon plan to close Stars and Stripes newspaper (New York Times) / Did Stars and Stripes win the fallout from Trump’s ‘losers’ comments? (CJR) / Trump distressed over Atlantic story fallout from claims he disparaged the military (CNN) ■ Trump asks ‘muffled’ reporter to remove mask (New York Post) ■ Trump says Department of Education will investigate use of New York Times’ 1619 Project in schools (CNN)  ■ Bloomberg and The Washington Post are betting big on gaming. Here's why (CNN) ■ Colin Kaepernick returns to Madden for first time since 2016 (The Undefeated) ■ How ESPN journalist turned her passion for football into a profession (L.A. Times) ■ A robot wrote this entire article. Does that scare you, human? (The Guardian) ■ Opinion: Journalists aren’t the enemy of the people. But we’re not your friends. (New York Times) / Here’s what the media must do to fend off an election-night disaster (Washington Post) / How TV, media can stop a US meltdown on Election Day (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Safety for journalists has taken on a renewed sense of importance as newsrooms grapple with the convergence of hostility toward those in the field and systemic racism that pervades even the most revered journalistic institutions. It seems journalists have more reason than ever to be allies for each other as the industry confronts itself while serving conflicted communities.  This program will be moderated by Jill Geisler, who will join Alex Marquardt, Sarah Matthews, Abby Phillip, and Michael Santiago to discuss “Journalists in peril: Creating a safer, equitable future together,” drawing on their experiences at CNN, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and their knowledge of journalism, allyship and equity.  Registration is open for this program, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020.

What makes managers happy: ‘I love seeing employees grow’ Advice from Jill Geisler, Bill Plante Chair in Leadership & Media Integrity, Loyola University Chicago Freedom Forum Fellow in Women’s Leadership Over the Labor Day weekend, I asked my friends on social media a simple question: Managers, what brings you happiness at work? Their responses weren’t about power, pay or prestige. The message they surfaced repeatedly was about service to their teams and to society. If you’re a manager — or thinking of becoming one — how would your answers compare with these?

“I love when someone from my team comes up with a way to successfully fulfill a task I’ve assigned them that’s completely different from what I would have done. It’s satisfying to see people I’ve trained develop their own methods & style in doing the job.” — Isabel Lara, Executive Director, Media Relations, NPR

“I always count it a good day if I’ve found some way to make the job of a reporter (or another editor) easier and more rewarding, instead of harder and more frustrating. That can come through a conversation, an edit that helps them see the story better or, often, going through their priority list with them and giving them permission to set something aside. A reporter’s job is hard enough, especially these days. It’s my job to push them, sure, but it shouldn’t be to make what they have to do harder still.” — Greg Borowski, Deputy editor for news, projects and investigations, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“I’ve always defined myself as a ‘coach’ in management. I don’t ‘manage’ people, I ‘coach’ them to get the best performance out of them by trying to show them best practices, how to correct mistakes, and how to make the best choices. I love seeing employees grow from this method, and taking the next step in their careers, either with me or moving on to another opportunity. The best reward is when they are ready to step into my job with confidence.” — Yvette Babs Walker, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Comm, Oklahoma U

Click here to read Jill’s previous posts.

Do you qualify as an ally? Join Jill for the next Freedom Forum Institute Power Shift Project program on September 15 at 1 p.m. EDT. Registration is now open.

Self-care: Remember the small comforts that make you smile Step away from the news cycle and take a few minutes to remember the small things that bring you joy throughout the day. Is it enjoying a cup of coffee or tea as the sun rises? Is it taking a stroll around the neighborhood with your canine companion? Is it silent meditation in between Zoom calls? Is it spending a couple of minutes gazing out the window? Is it the aroma produced when your first ingredients hit the frying pan? Is it curling up with a good book in your favorite armchair? Is it removing clean laundry from the dryer?  Is it lighting your favorite candle? Is it texting or calling a loved one you haven’t seen in a while? Is it closing your computer after a long day? Remembering the little things is a great way to cope. Take care of yourselves today by reflecting on what makes you feel good, however tiny those moments may be. Read on for more self-care tips, or share how you are taking care of yourself right now.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute, the National Press Foundation, and the RAND corporation are offering journalists a new way to prepare for the unexpected in Election 2020 news: Gaming your coverage plan. Registration is open for this free program, which will be held on Friday, Sept. 25 from 5-7 p.m. ET.  RAND gamemaster David A. Shlapak will present players with scenarios based on current and likely events, and each team will make coverage decisions, not knowing what the next roll of the dice will bring.  The game will surface journalists’ assumptions and test decisions as reporters and editors balance competing goals, commit limited resources, and assess tradeoffs. The game’s timeline will begin in September, continue through Election Day, and end on Inauguration Day.

Resources Election Beat 2020: Where did all the swing voters go? IRE Journalist of Color Investigative Reporting Fellowship #SAJA2020: Allyship and how journalism groups can work together (Tonight, 7 p.m. EDT)

This newsletter is written & edited by the National Press Club Journalism Institute staff: Beth Francesco, Holly Butcher Grant, and Julie Moos. Send us your questions and suggestions for topics to cover. Get this from a friend? Subscribe, and view the archives.

‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

SUPPORT THE INSTITUTE The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club. Support our important work with a tax-deductible contribution today.